IndiaAsksWhy Shweata N. Hegde and Ruchi Manglunia

Coming to the end of season 3, we have discussed so many questions that came to our minds. Listening to these questions, Utsuka and Jigyasa’s friends, Avishka and Tavi, from Delhi Public School, Secunderabad, ironically asked “why do we ask so many questions?”. This question made us all think about human nature and how we are always curious to know more!
In the last episode of season 03 of IndiaAsksWhy, we look at the importance of curiosity and the different types of curiosity. We learn that curiosity probably evolved as a survival mechanism in animals. The inquisitive group also spoke to a curiosity researcher, Prof. Jaison Manjaly, from the Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar (IITGN), to understand how one could study human curiosity and its nature in the lab!
We’re sure this conversation between the curious group would have made you curious, too. You can send your follow-up questions on our website, and we’ll pick them up :)
Please write to indiaaskswhy@gmail.com if you'd like your school to be involved with IndiaAsksWhy.
References Byrne, Richard W. “Animal Curiosity.” Current Biology, vol. 23, no. 11, June 2013, pp. R469–R470, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2013.02.058. Accessed 9 Dec. 2019. Kidd, Celeste, and Benjamin Y. Hayden. “The Psychology and Neuroscience of Curiosity.” Neuron, vol. 88, no. 3, Nov. 2015, pp. 449–460, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4635443/, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2015.09.010. Shin, Dajung Diane, and Sung-il Kim. “Homo Curious: Curious or Interested?” Educational Psychology Review, vol. 31, no. 4, 29 July 2019, pp. 853–874, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09497-x. “The “Why” behind Asking Why: The Science of Curiosity.” Knowledge at Wharton, 27 Aug. 2017, knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/podcast/knowledge-at-wharton-podcast/makes-us-curious/. “Why Are We so Curious?” Wonder Newsroom, www.blog.askwonder.com/blog/why-are-humans-so-curious. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023. Credits Hosts: Shweata N. Hegde and Ruchi Manglunia Guest scientist: Prof. Jaison Manjaly Students: Tanvi and Avishkaa from Delhi Public School, Secunderabad Audio Editor: Shweata N. Hegde Episode cover: Asif Khan Transcriber: Khushi Goel

“Why do flowers bloom?” Anushka and Hamsini from Delhi Public School, Secunderabad, ask. As the curious listeners joined Utsuka and Jigyasa in a garden one evening, they made an important observation about flowers. We all love the colorful petals of the flowers, but this curious group went a step ahead to question why they bloom at all!

In the fourth episode of season 03 of IndiaAsksWhy, we look at the mechanism of flowering and what are the causes for flowers to bloom. We learn that plants go through multiple steps to understand the right time to bloom. The curious group also spoke to a plant scientist, Prof. Mukesh Lodha, from Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), to understand how scientists study the molecules involved in blooming of flowers!

We’re sure this conversation between the curious group would have made you curious, too. You can send your follow-up questions on our website, and we’ll pick them up :)

Please write to indiaaskswhy@gmail.com if you'd like your school to be involved with IndiaAsksWhy.

 References
1. “30.12: Plant Development - Genetic Control of Flowers.” Biology LibreTexts, 16 July 2018, bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_and_General_Biology/Book%3A_General_Biology_(Boundless)/30%3A_Plant_Form_and_Physiology/30.12%3A_Plant_Development_-_Genetic_Control_of_Flowers.BioNinja.
2. “Photoperiodism | BioNinja.” Ib.bioninja.com.au, ib.bioninja.com.au/higher-level/topic-9-plant-biology/untitled-3/photoperiodism.html
3. “How Do Plants Know When to Flower? | Wonderopolis.” Wonderopolis.org, wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-do-plants-know-when-to-flower.Kirchoff, Bruce K., and Riva A. Bruenn.
4. “How Do Banana Flowers Develop?” Frontiers for Young Minds, vol. 6, 20 Nov. 2018, https://doi.org/10.3389/frym.2018.00060.
 
Credits
 
- Hosts: Shweata N. Hegde and Ruchi Manglunia
- Guest scientist: Prof. Mukesh Lodha
- Students: Anushka and Hamsini from Delhi Public School, Secunderabad
- Audio Editor: Shweata N. Hegde
- Episode cover: Asif Khan
- Transcriber: Khushi Goel

 
 

“Why do people get paralyzed?” Kanishka and Myra from Delhi Public School, Secunderabad, ask. Check out our previous episode where the curious explorers along with Utsuka and Jigyasa explore this question. 

Both our curious explorers had so many more questions about brain diseases after they understood that paralysis can be a result of certain kinds of brain diseases. So, we have a bonus episode! Listen to find out what they learned.

## Credits
- Hosts: Shweata N. Hegde and Ruchi Manglunia
- Guest scientist: Prof. Sheeba Vasu
- Students: Myra and Kanishka from Delhi Public School, Secunderabad
- Audio Editor: Indulekha MS
- Transcriber: Khushi Goel

“Why do people get paralyzed?” Kanishka and Myra from Delhi Public School, Secunderabad, ask. Utsuka and Jigyasa were chatting with their curious friends about how humans have this ability to physically move from one place to another. That’s when one of them asked why some people lose this wonderful ability to move and become paralysed.

In the third episode of season 03 of IndiaAsksWhy, we look at what causes paralysis. We learn that paralysis happens because of numerous kinds of problems in muscular and neural systems, and the “neuromuscular” junction – the place where the neurons meet muscles. The curious group also spoke to a brain scientist, Prof. Sheeba Vasu, from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), to understand how scientists study paralysis – or movements in general – in the lab using fruitflies!

We’re sure this conversation between the curious group would have made you curious, too. You can send your follow-up questions on our website, and we’ll pick them up :)

Please write to indiaaskswhy@gmail.com if you'd like your school to be involved with IndiaAsksWhy.

Credits
Hosts: Shweata N. Hegde and Ruchi Manglunia Guest scientist: Prof. Sheeba Vasu Students: Karthik and Shree from Delhi Public School, Secunderabad Audio Editor: Indulekha MS Transcriber: Khushi Goel

“Why do babies kick in the womb?” ShreeKilambi and Karthik, from Delhi Public School Secunderabad, ask. Once when Utsuka and Jigyasa were chatting with their curious friends, they happened upon the topic of babies! That’s when one of them wondered why babies kick when they are still in their mother's womb.
In the second episode of season 03 of IndiaAsksWhy, we learn about the development of bones in the unborn baby. We take a deep dive into how the bone-to-brain connection is tested out in the developing baby. The curious group also spoke to the developmental biologist, Prof. Amitabha Bandyopadhyay, from IIT Kanpur, to understand how one could possibly study developing bones in a lab!
We’re sure this conversation between the curious group would have made you curious, too. You can send your follow-up questions on our website, and we’ll pick them up :)
Please write to indiaaskswhy@gmail.com if you'd like your school to be involved with IndiaAsksWhy.
References https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/babies-move-womb-why-bones-joints-development-scientists-discovery-pregnancy-a8263351.html
https://teachmeanatomy.info/lower-limb/joints/knee-joint/ BIOMECHANICS OF FOETAL MOVEMENT. N C Nowlan. European Cells and Materials Vol. 29, 2015 (pages 1-21) DOI:10.22203/eCM.v029a01
Chapter 15 - Fetal movement patterns and behavioural states. Gerard H A Visser, Eduard J H Mulder. Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. European Practice in Gynaecology and Obstetrics. 2009, Pages 271-284. doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-51829-3.00015-5
Credits Hosts: Shweata N. Hegde and Ruchi Manglunia Guest scientist: Prof. Amitabha Bandyopadhyay Students: Karthik and Shree from Delhi Public School, Secunderabad Audio Editor: Kaviranjana Antony Transcriber: Khushi Goel

 
“Why do we dream? Satakshi, Fareeha and Navika from Delhi Public School, Secunderabad ask.
One morning when Utsuka and Jigyasa visited their curious friends, they were chatting about their funny dream experiences! That’s when one of them wondered why we have dreams at all.

In the first episode of the brand new season of IndiaAsksWhy, we take a deep dive into the functioning of human brains. We learn about the different ideas behind dreams and what might be causing them. They also spoke to the sleep scientist, [Dr. Nitin Chouhan](tifr.res.in/~dbs/faculty/N_Chouhan.html), from TIFR Mumbai, to understand how one could possibly study sleep and dreams in a lab!

We’re sure this conversation between the curious group would have made you curious too. You can send your follow-up questions on our [website]( https://www.indiaaskswhy.org/contact/), and we’ll pick them up :)

## References
1. Pryor, Julie. “Why Do We Dream?” MIT McGovern Institute, 1 Aug. 2022, mcgovern.mit.edu/2022/08/01/why-do-we-dream/

1. Spencer, Rebecca M. C. “The Science of Dreams.” Frontiers for Young Minds, vol. 7, 18 Dec. 2019, https://doi.org/10.3389/frym.2019.00140.

1. Suni, Eric. “Dreams: Why We Dream & How They Affect Sleep.” Sleep Foundation, 30 Oct. 2020, www.sleepfoundation.org/dreams.

## Credits
- Hosts: Shweata N. Hegde and Ruchi Manglunia are the hosts of the podcast
- Guest scientist: Nitin Chouhan
- Students: Navika, Shatakshi, and Fareeha from Delhi Public School, Secunderabad
- Audio Editor: Kaviranjana Antony
- Transcriber: Khushi Goel